The intimidating Frank Sinatra has been the subject of several biographies, most famously Kitty Kelley’s 1986 hatchet job. But to really understand Ol’ Blue Eyes is to follow his musical journey. The Sinatra Treasures is the perfect guide. The book’s (all lowercase) subtitle reads: intimate photos, mementos, and music from the sinatra family collection. Special “pocket” pages contain the mementos, including a newsletter from an early fan club (the Sighing Society of Sinatra Swooners); a mini-poster for Oceans 11 (the original film, not the throwaway remake); and reproductions of tickets to concerts in Rio and Japan. Neat, but the real highlights are the recollections and observations of friends, family and musical associates, interwoven with Sinatra’s own words, about his work on radio, in the recording studio, nightclubs and more. Terrific photographs, especially those with enduring pals (Sammy, Dino, Quincy Jones and others) further flesh out the subject as does a 12-track CD, which gives us Sinatra in song, interview and monologue. All that’s missing is the martini.
Pat H. Broeske is the co-author of Howard Hughes: The Untold Story, which would also make a terrific holiday gift.
